Embers of the Huntress

Untitled 9

When Tong Sui finished washing, the water in the bathtub was not very warm anymore.

She tied up her right lapel, touched her hot face, and made a normal expression before opening the door.

There is no one in the hall.

Quietly, the door curtain of the north house across from her was suddenly pulled open, which startled Tong Sui and made her heart beat faster.

Me, I'm done, you can add some hot water

Move aside from the entrance of the south house, Tong Sui whispered softly.

Xiao Zhen: "It's okay, I'm not afraid of the cold

He passed by her, and Tong Sui quietly squinted her eyes, her gaze level with his right shoulder... right upper arm.

The brothers in the Xiao family are all tall, and Tong Sui has to look up to see their faces. Among them, Xiao Zhen is the tallest. The second brother in the family is eight feet one, and Xiao Zhen is probably eight feet two.

The sense of coercion caused by this body size difference is particularly evident on solitary nights.

Tong Sui absentmindedly arrived at the north house and found that the blanket had already been laid out, with a large red blanket and two pillows.

The dragon and phoenix candles from the bridal chamber have been removed, and there is a dim yellow oil lamp on the cabinet. Listening to the sound of the sound of water in the south room, Tong Sui blew the lamp and crawled into bed in the dark.

My mother prepared two small cushions for her to use interchangeably. The previous one was washed by Afu but still hasn't dried, and the other is in the wardrobe.

It's probably going to be used tonight, but Tong Sui doesn't want her to prepare it, as if she's looking forward to it.

Without hesitation, Xiao Zhen washed up and walked over with steady footsteps.

Tong Sui closed her eyes and remained motionless.

The lights outside were all off, and Xiao Zhen stepped from one darkness to another, still able to see some vague outlines.

He closed the door and went to the kang.

Due to the delay caused by the war, Xiao Zhen is already 26 years old this year. Men and children of this age used to be sent to private schools, but Tong Sui is only 18 years old, which is a good age for village girls to get married.

She is relatively tall among the girls, but when she arrived at the Xiao family, she was highlighted by the men as a little girl.

Last night, the candlelight lit up all night, and Xiao Zhen, who was just the groom, also felt uncomfortable. At this time, it was pitch black, and he was even more relaxed.

Opening the blanket, Xiao Zhen picked up Tong Sui, who was so nervous that she was about to stiffen, and placed her on her lap.

Tong Sui didn't know what he was going to do and was too embarrassed to ask.

The recently fastened single clothes were thrown aside, and Tong Sui buried her face in his chest. Her body gradually relaxed and no longer stiffened, but she couldn't stop trembling.

The cushion is in the wardrobe, "Tong Sui said as he put it back in bed, propping up his shoulder.

Xiao Zhen's voice became hoarse: 'Do you still need it tonight?'

Tong Sui thought angrily, 'How many things have he yet to count in his heart?'?

The words that were actually spoken were soft and fluffy: "Use to absorb sweat

Xiao Zhen just got off the ground once, and when he came back, he rudely stuffed the cushion behind her.

Tong Sui was still trying to pull the mat down, and Xiao Zhen Shan leaned down like him.

Xiao Zhen is quiet and reserved, and Tong Sui is also quiet. When she was still at her mother's house, she might not be able to speak as much as she did today in ten days.

At this moment, Xiao Zhen didn't talk to her much, but Tong Sui's throat uncontrollably responded to him. For a few moments, she was really afraid that her voice would reach the ears of Xiao Ye or Liu Chu, who lived in the same courtyard.

In fact, she is guilty of being a thief. With her personality, she has deliberately hidden it. How could it spread so far?

If she were to let go of everything, Xiao Zhen would actually keep it. After all, he didn't want his younger brother and sister-in-law to hear the movements in his room. But Tong Sui hid very well. Unless someone was hiding outside the north window to hear it, how could Xiao Zhen restrain himself?

He deliberately watched the girl anxiously and helplessly, relying on the darkness to make her unable to see the wickedness and desire in his eyes.

When the small cushion is completed and retired, most of its surface is covered.

The crowing of the rooster at dawn failed to wake Tong Sui up, but Xiao Zhen's outstretched hand woke her up.

After a moment of confusion, Tong Sui suddenly remembered that she and Liu Chu were supposed to cook this morning. She immediately moved her hand away and sat up as if escaping, saying, "I'm going to cook

Xiao Zhen knew that he had just intended to tease her and had no intention of actually coming.

The room was still dark, and Xiao Zhen, wearing only a pair of shorts, went down to the ground and touched the flame to light the oil lamp.

The dim yellow halo silently spread onto the kang. Tong Sui quickly put on her pants and turned to face the man's strong chest. She immediately lowered her eyes and silently put on her shoes.

Xiao Zhen walked up to the edge of the kang, picked up his clothes and draped them over him.

Tong Sui looked over again and asked while combing her hair, "Aren't you going to sleep for a while

Xiao Zhen: "You've slept enough, can I boil some hot water for you to wash your face

Tong Sui: "Just cool water will do

Xiao Zhen went outside and scooped half a basin into the tank.

When Tong Sui was washing her face, he stood beside and watched.

Tong Sui didn't look up and just wiped her hands before heading out.

The three rooms in the upper room were all black, but as soon as Liu Chu walked out of the main room and saw Tong Sui, she softly said, "Sister, you go to the stove first, and I'll go to the firewood room to pick up the firewood

Tong Sui: "Let's go together

Everywhere was pitch black, and she wasn't very familiar with the Xiao family either. She felt a bit flustered walking alone.

To be honest, Tong Sui doesn't believe in ghosts and monsters. She's not afraid of ordinary small beasts in the mountains, but only of people. The kind of people who will suddenly appear at any time, regardless of gender, are afraid that they will become like cannibalistic beasts due to hunger.

The two sisters in law were about to pass through the hall when Xiao Zhen came out, holding a lamp in his hand.

He strode over and handed the lamp to Tong Sui, whispering, "You guys go to the stove, I'll go fetch firewood

After finishing speaking, the person left.

Tong Sui instinctively watched his back.

Liu Chu reacted and smiled unexpectedly, "Second brother is actually quite good at hurting people

Upon hearing this, Tong Sui gritted her teeth secretly. If it really hurt someone, he wouldn't have been so ruthless last night. The act of moving firewood was more like compensation.

Let's go

On this side of the courtyard, the old man Xiao Mu has already gotten up. Whenever his daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law cook, he goes to the study to stay.

Liu Chu was counting and said, "Last night, my grandfather and the others didn't have enough to eat. Let's first make the pancakes for breakfast. Each man will have one whole piece, and the woman and child will have one piece. Hmm, there are ten and a half pieces in total. Let's make eleven pieces

Tong Sui: “……”

There are many people and many mouths, and the amount of food consumed is astonishing. Fortunately, the Xiao family has a family background, and coupled with the fact that Xiao Zhen and his brothers can support the family, otherwise just eating would be a big problem.

The grain is kept in the old man's west house, which is usually locked. When the old man gets up, he will open it and personally lock it after eating.

Tong Sui followed behind Liu Chu and walked in, only to find that there wasn't much grain stored inside, at least not in line with the reputation of the Xiao family's wealthy family.

Seeing her confusion, Liu Chu hesitated to speak.

Tong Sui understood that the Xiao family must have another place to store grain, but Liu Chu was not sure if he could tell her.

According to the corruption and chaos in the court, there will definitely be more wars in the future. Food is equivalent to life, and the Xiao family will not easily reveal it to a newly married wife.

Tong Sui is not worried. She recovers and calmly scoops out the portion of Congee cooked this morning from the bag of corn.

"Is that enough?" Tong Sui asked Liu Chu when he was not sure about making Congee for so many people for the first time.

Liuchu added another big spoon.

Tong Sui went out with a basin in her hand.

Liu Chu breathed a sigh of relief. The cellar of the Xiao family was a big secret, and the children, Lin Ningfang, and Ah Fu Azhen didn't know the specific location. Without the old man's instructions, she wouldn't dare to tell Tong Sui. However, if Tong Sui is curious about this matter and goes back to ask her younger brother, he should tell her? Tong Sui clearly wants to have a child at the Xiao family, unlike Lin Ningfang.

Tong Sui simply brushed the pot again, while Liu Chu cooked the mixed grain noodles on the other end.

Xiao Zhen brought a bundle of dry firewood over, and the fine branches picked up from the mountain were heat-resistant.

He lit the fire before leaving.

Liuchu looked at Tong Sui with a smile.

Tong Sui pretended not to have seen it.

For breakfast, you need eleven pancakes, which is thirty-three per day. If you make up the total for three days, there will be a hundred pancakes.

After tidying up the stove and feeding the livestock, the two sisters in law Tong Sui continued to make noodles, roll them out, heat them up, and make pancakes.

The quantity is too large, Xiao Ye and Xiao She both came to watch the excitement.

Xiao Ye stared at Xiao She and stood up for his sisters in law, saying, "Auntie and the others did it on purpose. Every time it's their turn, they try their best to slack off and push this troublesome food onto sister-in-law

This is an obvious fact. Xiao She also felt ashamed of his own mother and sister's laziness and slackness. When he saw that his sister-in-law was going to add fire, he quickly said, "I'll do it, I'll light the fire

Tong Sui: "Okay, you can watch it. Just a small amount of fire is fine, it's easy to burn when it's too big

Xiao She: "Okay

Someone helped to start the fire, and Tong Sui prepared to flip over the pancakes being cooked in the pot.

Xiao Ye: "I'll take care of it. Second sister-in-law, just roll out the dough. You can command me which one to turn

Tong Sui smiled and said, "Okay, there are indeed many things to do today, so I'll ask for your help

Liu Chu looked enviously at Tong Sui.

The younger uncles also took good care of her, but she couldn't be as generous as Tong Sui. She wished the younger uncles wouldn't come over and talk to her, so that she wouldn't be restrained.

Tong Sui met up and heard a neat "hey" and "ho" sound coming from not far away. Curiously, she asked Xiao Ye, "What is that sound

Xiao She hurriedly said, "My grandfather and father are teaching people how to practice martial arts

Xiao Ye: "Yes, my grandfather can't sit still. He started taking apprentices shortly after moving to Lingshui Village. The villagers from Shiliba Village came to send their children over because of his reputation. At most, my grandfather taught more than a hundred people together. A few years ago, the war broke down, and last year he was back in peace. My grandfather took in new apprentices again, but the villagers couldn't afford to pay for the training. He still taught without charge. Now not only do the children come to learn, but the adults also come to learn a few moves when they have nothing to do, and the excitement is no less than before

Liu Chu sighed and said, "Everyone is scared. Learning some kung fu will keep you company. The next time you are conscripted, your chances of surviving will be greater than those who haven't learned martial arts. Those who stay at home will also have more confidence in dealing with soldiers and bandits

Tong Sui's marriage was facilitated by the old man, and she already had a sense of closeness towards him. Now she has added another layer of admiration: "With martial arts skills, she can save lives in times of danger. Grandfather is doing his best to help everyone save their lives

Xiao Ye: "Yes, that's what my grandfather said. Being able to live one is one thing

Tong Sui couldn't help but speed up her pace. After finishing her work, she went to see the grand scene of everyone practicing martial arts together with her own eyes.

He Shi came to watch the excitement and found her own son actually burning a fire. She thought it was the two sisters in law Tong Sui who deliberately took advantage of her son, and was so angry that she called Xiao She to come with her. Xiao She didn't listen, so He came to twist his ear, and the two of them got into a quarrel. Xiao Ye was annoyed and angrily chased Xiao She away. Xiao She reluctantly followed her mother back to the west courtyard.

Xiao Yechao sneered outside and looked at Tong Sui again, worried, "Second sister-in-law, aren't you going to take advantage of you like Big Sister in law in the future

Tong Sui looked at the mixed grain noodles in her hand and said, "One cannot be separated. The first time, I respected her as an elder and didn't argue with her about putting in effort. If she wants to do this again next time, it's because she deliberately bullied me, and I have reason to make a fuss

Xiao Ye's eyes lit up and he said to Liu Chu, "Did Sister in law hear that? It should be Sister in law who thinks the same way. You should learn too

Liu Chu gave a bitter smile. Without a man to support her and without being able to carry on the legacy of the Xiao family, she naturally lacked confidence.

In the afternoon, Liu Chu rushed to wash the last bowl.

Tong Sui straightened her waist and wiped the sweat from her forehead and face with her sleeve. With a thriving population, she looked both good and pleasant, but only the woman in charge of food in the house was affected.

Fortunately, the Xiao family also raised Ah Fu and Ah Zhen to help wash clothes, otherwise Tong Sui's body and bones might not have been able to handle it.

As Liu Chu helped her down, Tong Sui looked concerned and said, "Are you tired? Go back and rest quickly. I'll take care of the rest

You also need to put the dishes back in the cabinet, pour the waste water into the swill bucket to make pigs to eat at night, and finally clean the stove.

Liu Chu shook his head and insisted on accompanying Tong Sui to finish.

The two sisters in law walked back to the east courtyard side by side, each returning to their own room.

Tong Sui rested her arms on her head and lay on the kang.

She wasn't as weak as Liu Chu, but after a busy morning with lunch and a hundred pancakes, her shoulders were slightly sore.

Just as I was about to fall asleep, someone pushed open the door of the house.

Tong Sui lazily looked over and saw that it was Xiao Zhen. She only changed her unsightly prone position to lying on her side and closed her eyes again.

Xiao Zhen went up to the kang and helped her take out a pillow.

Tong Sui lay with her back to him.

Xiao Zhen: "Lie down, I'll pinch you

Tong Sui thought of his bad behavior last night and calmly changed back to lying down, asking him to take care of him.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Xiao Zhen pressed her shoulder, Tong Sui let out a scream, louder than at night!

Xiao Zhen was still stunned when he saw the girl's earlobes magically turn red, and even her slender and fair neck was tinged with powder.

He fell silent for a moment and asked, 'Did it hurt?'

Tong Sui nodded, her eyes fixed on the edge of the pillow in front of her, wishing she could retract the previous sound.

Xiao Zhen slightly withdrew his strength and said, "Is that so

Tong Sui: "Okay

Xiao Zhen: "Will you make another hundred cakes next time

Tong Sui: “……”

Xiao Zhen: "Auntie, if you hit or scold me, I can take care of it. I can't get involved in the petty calculations in such words, so I can only rely on you to refute them

Tong Sui: "I know, my grandfather was here yesterday. I don't want to argue with her in front of him right after I got married, which would make things difficult for him

She gave up to He Shi in front of the old man once, proving that she was not a petty granddaughter in law. The next time she refused, the old man would know that she was not a submissive granddaughter in law like Liu Chu.

She did her duty, but as for whether the old man likes her like this or not, it has nothing to do with Tong Sui. If the old man prefers her to learn from Liu Chu to ensure the peace of the Xiao family's inner house, Tong Sui will never compromise herself.

Xiao Zhen: "No wonder he likes you when you consider your grandfather so much

Tong Sui felt a sense of joy in her heart and said, "Did your grandfather tell you

Xiao Zhen: "It goes without saying that the way your grandfather looks at you is different from looking at your sister-in-law or younger siblings

Tong Sui tried to recall, but even when the old man didn't smile, he still looked dignified and looked at everyone with similar eyes.

Xiao Zhen pressed her shoulders and back, and his hands reached her waist.

Tong Sui suddenly froze and hurriedly avoided, "Alright, it's not that sour anymore. I'll take a nap

Xiao Zhen: "Go to sleep, I'll read a book next to you. We'll discuss what to bring for my parents in law tomorrow when you wake up

It's just drinks, tea, and fruits, Tong Sui just slept.

Perhaps afraid that when she returned home due to exhaustion, her spirits might not be right, causing concern for her parents in law. After resting that night, Xiao Zhen obediently slept next to her and did not touch her.

After breakfast, Xiao Zhen prepared a mule cart and set off with Tong Sui.